Stunning silence
by LilAlyCat
Summary: Tony was rendered mute in Afghanistan. Years later, the avengers are captured and Tony's translator is broken. Pairings undecided. Protective!Avengers. Young!Tony(19 years old).
1. prologue

**_AN: New story that i've been writing in my spare time. please don't expect constant updates, as my fanfiction muses are prone to flights of fancy, as readers of my fic _****_Run Away_****_ (please don't kill me, run away fans, i know its been forever since i updated) probably already know, and even when i do write, i'm not always prompt at getting it typed up. Feel free to pester me about it as much as you want though, until I tell you otherwise, as it may serve as motivation for my muses._**

**_If anyone wants to use my ideas, here is the basic idea. if you want to use it, please send me the name of the fic, and_****_ no plagiarism please._**

_Summary: __ Tony was rendered mute in Afghanistan when his vocal cords are cut out. By the time Tony can get to a hospital, 2-and-a-half months later, its to late to do anything. So he tells no one. Several years later, the Avengers are captured, and Tony's translator is broken/confiscated._

_Requirements:__ *Only Pepper/Rhodey know. _

_*Tony is young(Afghan happened in teens)(19 in this fic) _

_*Tony knows multiple forms of sign language, and ridiculous amounts of spoken languages_

_*The Avengers are all really protective over tony._

**Prologue**

**Tony**

"If a sound comes out of your mouth that isn't a 'Yes', I'll cut out your vocal cords." The man threatened in heavily accented English, trailing a knife down my collarbone. I bit back a whimper at the pain.

I liked my voice, thank you very much, and i know enough about medicine to say it would be much to late to save my ability to speak by the time I would next see a hospital, if i ever do again.

My breath hitched as the blade the man held was trailed down my side, tracing my ribs and hurting like hell. I had gotten distracted and hadn't been prepared for the pain.

The man laughed at my flinch. "Oh, Did that hurt?" he plunged the blade deeper into my chest, forcing me to bite back a scream, desperately hoping he missed everything vital. Smirking, the man twisted the blade. This time I was unable to hold in my cry.


	2. 1 The discovery

_**Without waiting, here is the first chapter, as a lot of people enjoyed the prologue. (really? It was so short.) And i'm very sorry, but i screwed with the timeline. In this, tony is 19, and Afghanistan he went to college happened when tony was 15. For the sake of the story, lets say he went to MIT at 8. (not implausible, i saw a news story on a 8-year-old starting college for his degree in astrophysics. Its why most of my avengers stories happen with tony young. I thought, if tony is supposed to be the smartest person in the world, why was he going to college at 14, and not younger? Boom, inspiration for quite a few unposted Avengers stories. R&amp;R**_

**Chapter 1: The discovery**

**3rd person**

"Is everyone ok?" Steve glanced around the room worriedly, twisting in the chains that secured him to the wall.

"I'm fine." Natasha said calmly, "Though they took all my weapons and lock picks. Even the wire in my hair."

"I'm ok, Though Bruce is still out, and I think Tony is in shock, though hes been awake longer than any of us." Clint glanced worriedly at the thin 19-year-old. "Thor's out too. Thinks hes drugged. Something strong too, I didn't know it was possible to knock him out for this long with drugs."

Both Steve and Natasha glanced at Thor, before looking at a trembling Tony.

Tony was secured with loose chains in a corner. He had his knees drawn up to his chest. He was pale, and breathing too fast to be healthy, almost hyperventilating. His suit was gone, leaving him in only a thin bodysuit.

"Are you ok Tony?" Steve asked softly. As tough as Tony was, he was still young. All of the Avengers were rather protective over him, even though Tony hated being babied in any way.

Tony glanced up. He tried to say something, but no sound came out. Tony flinched hard, hiding his face behind his knees.

"Tony?" Steve asked uncertainly, scared now.

Tony looked up, and put his hands to his throat with a bitter, resigned smile.

"Stark?" Natasha frowned. "Nod yes or no. Are you hurt?"

Tony shook his head.

" past injury then?"

Tony nodded, looking at the wall.

"How long? Weeks? Months? Years?"

Tony nodded at years.

"Years?" Natasha Repeated, waiting for the nod. When she got it she sat back on her heels with a sigh. She knew Tony was excellent with masks, but to hide an injury for years?

Shaking her head, she looked back at tony. "Ok then. How many?"

Tony held up four fingers, trying to look anywhere but the faces of his conscious friends.

" four years?"

Tony nodded.

"Four years. Damn It!" Natasha swore. Looking at Tony, she asked softly, "How bad? How did you hide it?"

Tony lowered his hands of the floor, tracing a word. I-M

"I'm?

Tony nodded. M-U-T-E

"Mute...you're mute..."

Tony smiled bitterly, nodding his assent.

Steve, Clint, and Natasha all gazed horror-struck at Tony.

Natasha closed her eyes. "Afghanistan?"

The look on Tony's face said it all.

"I've heard you talk...we all have?" Clint said bleakly.

Tony held up one hand by his head, like a telephone.

"F**k" Natasha cursed. "Do you know sign language

Tony nodded, signing *Yes. I had a translator, but they took it.*


	3. Chapter 2: The wait

_**Chapter 2**_

_**A/N: Sorry for the wait, I've been suffering from severe writer's block. On a happier note I've written a small ficlet called "Eerie" set in this verse a few months before this. You can expect many more like it too because they help me fight writer's block- I have a bunch that simply need to be typed up. Also a shout out to everyone who reviewed- Thank you very much. I'm surprised at the reception this story has achieved, I didn't expect much attention. An even bigger shout out to Post U Later, who reviewed, I'm a big fan of your work and you have no idea how happy it made me to see you had read this- I was in a good mood all week as all my friends can attest to.**_

**Chapter 2: The wait**

**3rd person**

No one was quite sure what to say. What do you say to the fact one of your close friends is completely mute and you didn't even suspect anything?

Eventually Clint tilted his head back and asked "how?"

Tony shook his head. *Not until everyone is awake. I won't explain twice,* He lowered his head, embarrassed.

No amount of coaxing or soft assurances convinced Tony to look at them or respond, ao quietly they settled down to wait, lost in their own thoughts and guilt. How could they not have noticed?

Thor woke up after another half hour. What ever they used to knock him out, it was strong. He stirred slowly before surveying the room.

Before he could say anything Steve began to quietly tell him what had happened.

Thor immediately tried to talk to Tony, but like the previous attempts by Natasha, Clint, and Steve, Tony wouldn't respond. As a person raised in a warrior society Thor was used to finding out his friends were injured- but they were all much older than Tony and somehow, it never hurt as much.

He gave up, realizing Tony didn't want to talk yet, and slipped into silence, waiting for Bruce to wake.

It was another hour before he did.

As soon as Bruce was caught up on what had happened, all eyes turned to Tony who sat up, straightening his legs out from where they were pressed up against his chest as much as he could with the chains keeping him against the wall and began to sign.


	4. Storytime

_**Chapter 3: Storytime**_

_A/N: Again, apologies for the wait. For this passage I'm assuming that they all probably know sign language. Nat and Clint for work, Bruce because of his travels, Thor because of all-speak, and Steve is just the kind of guy to learn it so he can help people. It's not just for plot reasons, I did think it over and consider whether or not they would all understand._

_On the medical side of Tony's voice, the way the voice box was cut out makes it impossible to do a transplant-the only viable method of letting him speak again. As far as my research found out, only 2 successful larynx transplants have been performed ever- The first in 1998, the second in 2010 to 52 year old Brenda Jensen at UC Davis. This type of highly experimental procedure would not even be considered with the amount of damage Tony has._

_**Storytime**_

*Four years ago I was kidnapped leaving a weapons demonstration. The Ten Rings wanted weapons and didn't care what happened to me as long as they got them.*

Tony shifted, uncomfortably aware of everyone's gaze and the probable bugs. Everyone else seemed fully prepared to ignore the fact they were likely being watched in favor of information, but Tony hated it. He didn't want some weirdo knowing this. However, he knew the others were to out of focus to plan an escape now, not until they knew. This is why he didn't like being fussed over.

Tony took a breathe then resumed signing. *They wanted me to build the missile I had demonstrated. I said no. They tried to convince me. They had a few methods."

At this Tony paused, focusing on Bruce. He didn't want a Hulk out, there wasn't enough room for that.

*Their favorite was waterboarding. They would force my head into a bucket of cold water until I inhaled it. But they couldn't do it much. I didn't have the arc then. The open circuits would electrocute me because he connection between the Car battery and me-*

Tony paused as everyone lost their composure and began to curse. They had a few rather creative threats. Once everyone refocused on Tony he started again.

*The connection between me and the car battery was unsafe, with some exposed wires. They didn't want me dying, so they had to stop after a while. The constant electrocutions and the water in my lungs would have killed me. So they moved onto other methods. When this,* Tony tapped his throat. *Happened they were using knives. I was threatened that if a made a sound other than yes they would cut out my vocal cords. I screamed. They followed through. By the time I got back to the states it was far too late to do anything for me."

Tony paused again. Bruce, his science buddy and brother in all but blood, looked furious. He had his teeth clenched and if it wasn't for the drugs he would have lost it.

For that matter, everyone looked angry. Bruce and Nat were the worst though. This was unsurprising, as they had both taken the roles of older siblings to Tony.

Tony moved to sign again, but Natasha spoke.

" You don't have to say anything else Antosha. It can wait until we are out. We need an escape plan"


End file.
